From Here
by GoldRooster
Summary: The group has managed to escape from the box car, this tells what happens afterward- Rick/Michonne ship. (Disclaimer: I do not own anything) Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

This story follows the groups escape from the "A" cattle car at Terminus. They are still at Terminus but now have control over the area.

"So what's the plan?" Glenn asked. Him and Maggie were sitting together on the hood of a Buick RoadMaster, Carl was sitting in the driver's seat behind them, away from everyone else.

"I don't see why we can't just stay here for a while. There are gates and it withstood the walkers well enough for those Terminus freaks to survive" Sasha said.

"Yeah, but think of all the signs" Daryl pointed out. He stood with his crossbow thrown over his shoulder which rested on top of his recently retreived poncho. "There are maps pointing straight to this place from nearly every direction. No telling who could decide to show up here."

They all stood considering this. Removing all the signs would take a lot of effort considering just how many of them there are. But at the same time, deep down, none of them really wanted to stay. From the freshly dead bodies of the Termites to the skeletal remains of the poor souls who had been dinner, Terminus positively reeked disturbing feelings.

"Maybe there is something near here, a town we could set up in. We could clear it out and try to set up long term," Maggie suggested.

"Now as appealing as the idea of a humble town with white picket fences and flower beds sounds, that is not going to change anything. Our undead friends will still be knocking at our doors" Sgt. Abraham boomed, he stood up from his spot at one of the picnic tables and walked towards Rick, "You seem like a smart guy. How about talking your friends into coming to D.C. with the lovely Rosita, Eugene, and me? We could sure use your help."

Rick looked around at the faces surrounding him. Carl in the driver's seat of the Buick, he looked sad and ultimately discouraged with the way things have turned out for him. The same went for Glenn and Maggie who were happy to be reunited but they still wore the same down trodden faces as his son. Michonne who never really displayed much emotion anyway halfheartedly cleaned her katana. Daryl was pacing, he was the only one in the group who seemed ready to get a move on right away.

"Sergeant, I think we need to rest. It's not up to me what everyone here decides but I think it is in our best interests if we take a few days off and gather our strengths. Maybe then we can see how things play out," Rick responded to Abraham's proposition.

"Man, come on. I don't feel right here. We're sitting ducks, just waiting for some group to come in and clear us out. Heck, might even kill us just for shits and giggles. I say we get outa here asap!" Daryl yelled to no one in particular.

"How about we do as Maggie suggested. Find somewhere near here to stay for a couple of days." Rick reasoned.

"So we are just going to go out there again? With no knowledge for certain that we'll have somewhere safe to sleep at night?" Sasha questioned.

"No, no I'll go out. Look around and find some place before we all head out." Rick said.

Daryl approached Rick, "Man, you can't go out there alone. That'd be a suicide mission, I'll go with you."

"Me too," Michonne said, standing as she placed her katana back into it's sheath.

"I won't take the both of you, just Michonne." Rick said.

Carl emerged from the back of the car, the sheriff's hat resting low on his head to where you could barely see his eyes.

Rick neared his son and reached out to place a hand on his shoulders but Carl backed away before he could make contact. Instead Carl went to Michonne and wrapped his hands around her in a hug. Michonne responded with a kiss to his forehead and a sad look in Rick's direction. Rick nodded his head and told Daryl to keep an eye on things before heading out the gates of Terminus with Michonne.


	2. The Map

Rick followed Michonne outside the gates of Terminus. He wanted her in the lead not only because he knew how capable with her katana she was but also so he could fully appreciate the view from behind. Rick saw nothing wrong with stealing glances at Michonne, he noticed most of the other men looking at Rosita but he knew there was no chance with her because of Abraham.

Rick and Michonne walked in silence through the trees. Michonne was carrying a map of Georgia she had found in one of the vehicles. In sharpie she had circled towns that were within a five mile radius of Terminus's gates.

"If we walk until sunset we should be able to reach this town here, Taylorsville" Michonne read off as she brought the map closer to her eyes.

"Sounds like a plan," Rick agreed.

They continued on, keeping an eye out for any walkers that could appear from behind the trees. Rick thought back on his interaction with Carl. There relationship had been strained ever since Carl had to pull the gun on Shane after Rick killed him. Well, their problems probably went back before that even.

"Everything okay back there?" Michonne questioned.

Rick snapped out of his thoughts and came back to the present. Michonne had kept walking but had slowed down so the two of them could walk side by side.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about Carl. My son hates me," Rick confessed.

Michonne stepped carefully over a fallen tree. She readied herself when she heard something scurrying nearby but come to find out it was just a squirrel minding it's own business.

"Hmm." was all Michonne responded with, but from the way she did it, Rick could tell it was an invitation for him to continue.

"He keeps drawing away from me. And I thought for a while there he might have been coming back, but after the whole ordeal with Joe and his gang, I just don't see how I can move the two of us on from that," Rick said.

"It's all a part of growing up, we all tried to rebel against our parents at some point. He'll come back Rick, just give him time" Michonne offered.

Rick stopped walking and tilted his head at Michonne, running the words that she just told him through his mind. She really could offer great advice and when she did it was always welcomed. This made Rick again wonder what Michonne was doing before the world changed.

"What? If you keep stopping we are never going to make it before night fall," she said.

"It's just that, you surprise me sometimes" Rick said as he looked into her eyes.

Michonne smirked "Yeah? Well, you'll find out I am full of surprises" Michonne said. She playfully hit Rick's arm and gestured for him to keep up the pace, "Now get a move on Sheriff, we have somewhere to be."

To Be Continued


	3. Pig's Feet

Carl finally emerged from the car and joined the rest of the group. He was reluctant to do so given he preferred the momentary solitude but he knew it was impractical to stay in the car and nearly imossible with Glenn pestering him about coming out.

"Hey there buddy, what's up?" Glenn asked, smiling at him.

"I'm hungry, is there anything to eat?" Carl responded.

Daryl came over to Carl giving him a jar of pigs feet, Daryl grinning about his magnificent find.

"I found this in Garreth's belongings, maybe in a different time me and him could've gotten along" Daryl smirked, popping one of the feet into his mouth without hesitation.

"Ehh, no thanks" Carl denied Daryl's offer and took a seat next to Tara. Carl didn't know her all that well yet and he was hoping that she would let him sit in silence. Much to his dismay, Tara slid closer to him on the bench and offered him a bite of her slim jim.

"I understand why you turned Daryl down, even if it is the end of the world, I still don't know if I could bring myself to eating pig's feet," Tara joked with him. Carl didn't laugh.

"I heard y'all. You just take me for granted Princess, one of these days you're gonna be so hungry, you're gonna wish you had pig's feet to eat" Daryl hollered at her.

Tara shrugged and continued chewing on her slim jim.

"You just don't know what you're missing out on," Daryl continued, "Always saying you're hungry, got food right here. Just like Beth, she.." Daryl stopped midsentence. He cleared his throat and looked over at Maggie who was still sitting on the hood of the car. "She didn't care much for them either." Daryl finished up almost in a whisper.

"Hey," Maggie said, getting up from her spot and walking over to Daryl, she placed her hand on his shoulder, "Beth is a smart girl, whatever happened to her, she'll be okay. I haven't given up hope yet, I found Glenn against all odds." Maggie probably should have been the one receiving comfort about her missing sister but she could tell how much Daryl was struggling with it. Ever since Daryl told Maggie he gave her side long glances, an apologetic look in his eyes. Maggie wouldn't doubt it if Daryl blamed himself for Beth being taken.

Everyone went quiet, they were all reflecting on those they have lost and what they have had to do to survive. Carl kept thinking back to Judith's baby carrier, he had the overwhelming feeling that he had let his mom down. Daryl was thinking about Beth and what he would do to the drivers of that black car that Beth was taken away in.

Bob stood up and broke the silence, "Y'know what Daryl, I think I will take some of those feet if the offer still stands.

"We should get moving, not too much farther to go," Rick said as he stood up from the fallen tree he had been using as a seat. Him and Michonne had taken a short break and had popped open a can of sardines to share. Michonne brushed herself off and placed the empty can into her bag. Rick gave her an odd look and she shrugged, "Just because it is the end of the world, doesn't mean we should litter."

Rick chuckled and they set off together. They walked in silence until they heard something rustling the fallen leaves nearby. Michonne stopped and placed her hands on her katana. She signaled Rick to stay put as she inched forward, within seconds a lone walker appeared. He wore a polo with a name tag still attached that read Ben.

"Just you, hot stuff?" Michonne addressed the walker. It responded by quickening it's pace and moaning louder. With one swift motion, Michonne fully removed Ben's head from his body. The head continued to snap and sneer. Michonne laughed at it and placed her katana in its sheath.

"Ready partner? I think I can see the town up ahead" Michonne said as she turned back to Rick.

She and Rick continued their pace, Michonne thinking about how much she had changed over the last several months. Before teaming up with Andrea and after the loss of her son, Michonne wanted nothing more than to continue her existence alone. She found it easy to provide just for herself, so what if she had no one to talk to? No one to confide in? She was never much of a talker, and given the way things are now, there is not much to talk about anyway. But Andrea had changed her, she had showed her that you cannot always live for just yourself. Even with Andrea gone, Michonne still felt like she had a reason to go on. She grew closer to Carl everyday. Michonne could tell that he was troubled and Michonne wanted nothing more than to bring a smile to his frowning face, and maybe even a smile to the face of the boy's father.

"Michonne," Rick started.

Michone turned her attention to him, "Yes?"

"You've been with us for several months now, and I still feel like I barely know anything about you." Rick stated.

Michonne considered this, she wanted to grow attached to the people she had met at the prison and in a way she had, but she still had trouble opening up to others. And there are things about herself she found difficult to talk about, things she would like to hold on to but at the same time move on from.

"There's not much too know," Michonne responded.

This answer didn't seem to be enough for Rick because he continued, "I don't even know your last name. Or what you did before."

"Hmm, I don't want to bore you. I need you alert to keep an eye out for walkers," Michonne said.

"At least tell me where you're from," Rick pleaded.

"I don't want to reveal too much," she said, "I want to retain some air of mystery about me." With that she gave Rick a playful smile. Rick noticed how her whole face lit up when she grinned, he wanted nothing more than to keep her smiling at him like that.

Rick was so distracted by Michonne that as he was walking he wasn't watching his footing and managed to trip over a tree stump. He ungracefully fell to the ground and landed face first. Michonne started laughing at him before crouching down to where he lay.

"Glad to see you find joy at my expense," Rick muttered as he angrily wiped away leaves from his beard.

"Oh, I just didn't realize you were such a klutz," Michonne retorted back. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back to his feet. As soon as they were standing again their laughing ceased and they both froze. Rick was only down for a matter of seconds but in that amount of time walkers had started coming toward them from every angle.

They were surrounded.

More to come...


	4. Chapter 4

A random crack of thunder boomed overhead. Rick and Michonne stood back to back, Rick with his pistol cocked and ready, Michonne braced with her katana. Without hesitation Michonne started clearing out the walkers ahead of her, slashing off their heads so they went rolling to the ground. Michonne turned around and saw that more walkers were coming their way, Rick fighting them off by bashing their heads with the butt of his gun. After a few more swings of her katana, Michonne saw a way out for her and Rick. She grabbed Rick's hand and pulled her behind him through the clearing. The two of them ran but the walkers only seemed to keep pace and more walkers emerged from the woods to join the group.

Out of nowhere it seemed it had started to rain. A few of the walkers had started to slow down because of how slick the ground was getting but the majority continued with hasted.

"Up ahead!" Rick pointed where he spotted a lone Jeep. The two were unsure of which direction they had started running in but it didn't really matter now. They picked up the pace as they neared the Jeep and much to Michonne's relief she found the driver's door to be open when she pulled on the handle. She and Rick slid into the Jeep and slammed the door shut. They both sat there for a moment out of breath and soaking wet while walkers banged on the windows of the car.

Michonne checked the ignition for the keys but of course they weren't in there. Rick rubbed his beard before adjusting the passenger seat so that it lay almost completely flat. "We're gonna be in here awhile," he said in response to Michonne's look of disbelief, "Might as well make myself comfortable."

xxx

Rick was back at his old home in King County. Carl was playing video games with one of his school friends in the front room while him and Lori were in the kitchen. Lori's back was to him as she stood at the sink busy washing the dishes from the lunch they had just finished.

Rick was telling Lori about a car chase him and Shane had the previous day. He filled her in on all the details and Lori stood silently but Rick could tell from her body language that she was listening. Rick smiled to himself as he watched his wife. The two of them never did have a perfect marriage, they had their fights just like any other couple. But it was moments like this when all seemed right with the world and that he saw a glimpse of perfection in his life.

"Shane kept on cussing, he was bound and determined to stop that car one way or another," Rick laughed as he continued the story. He stopped when he noticed the way Lori's hair fell softly over her back, even though they had been married for several years now, Lori still managed to take his breath away. He wanted to see her face, to see the bright look in her eyes and her smile.

"Lori, turn around sweetheart, let me see your face," Rick found himself saying.

Lori lay the dishtowel she was using down on the sink and slowly turned around. Rick gasped when he noticed that Lori was holding a baby, and not just any baby but Judith.

_That can't be_, Rick thought, _Lori never even got to hold Judith. Lori never got to name her baby daughter, or have her wrap her small hands around her finger._

Rick still couldn't see Lori's face, Lori had continued looking down at the child, her face shielded by a curtain of brown hair. Rick stood slowly from his spot at the table and walked towards his wife and daughter. He reached out to touch Lori on the arm and when he did Lori growled. Rick thought it was strange but didn't take it to heart. He brought his hand up to move the blanket so he could see Judith's face and when he did he felt like his hand had been burned. Judith was a walker, her face bloodied and she emitted small growling sounds, she amped up as Rick went to make contact.

"Lori.." Rick muttered. Lori finally looked at him with the same empty eyes as his daughter, her face also characteristic to that of the walkers.

"No, no! you're not here, Lori you're dead, you didn't become a walker," Rick said, backing away from his wife and child, "No, not again. I thought, no, oh no"

"Rick!"

Rick woke up from his bad dream, he was covered in sweat, his hair matted to the back of his head.

Michonne had kept watch while Rick had dozed off. She had watched outside the window for a couple of minutes but after a while she found herself watching Rick as he slept. She felt a tad invasive at first but then she found that watching him sleep brought her peace. Rick had never appeared this calm to her before, usually he was worrying about the safety of everyone or he was tormented by ghosts from the past but as he slept he seemed to let go of all those things. She watched as the drops of rain that still clung to his skin slid down the side of his face until they landed and got lost in his beard. She wondered for a brief moment what it would be like to run her hands over his face, to kiss a man with facial hair.

Then the momentary peace was over when Rick started calling out in his sleep. It was soft at first and Michonne thought nothing of it, but seconds later he started yelling and shaking in his seat. Michonne was worried for a moment that he would lash out at her and harm her.

"I'm sorry, it was a bad dream is all," Rick said as he rubbed his eyes.

"I could tell," was all Michonne's response.

Rick looked out the window and noticed the trees passing by, "Are we moving?" he asked.

"How very observant of you," Michonne said sarcastically, "I found the keys under the mat. With all your kicking and screaming I figured we needed to get a move on."

Rick felt slightly embarrassed by his display. Michonne hardly ever exhibited any emotion, she was always just the fearless samurai.

"Everything all right?" Michonne questioned.

"Yeah, everything's good." Rick said back, he looked out the window. On the roads they were countless cars littering the way but Michonne expertly maneuvered around them. Rick glanced over at Michonne and as always he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"What're you thinking about?" Rick asked.

Michonne didn't answer right away, for a few moments she continued driving in silence. "You sure do want to know a lot about me, don't you Grimes?" she teased.

Rick was expecting this sort of answer, he didn't know himself why he wanted to know so much about Michonne. In his marriage with Lori she was always asking him to talk more, to speak his mind. He never did have a knack for expressing his feelings, just showing them.

"Stop the car Michonne," Rick demanded.

She looked over at him, she couldn't tell if he was being serious or if this was a joke because she didn't want to answer his question.

"Stop the car" he repeated.

Michonne did so, putting it in park and turning off the ignition.

"Look at me," he said.

Michonne turned in the seat so she sat face to face with him. Rick looked into her eyes full on, Michonne was surprised when she didn't see anger there but something more.

Rick reached up to cup the side of her face in his hands. He leaned in closer and his gaze fell from her eyes down to her full lips. Michonne could tell he was going to kiss her and she wasn't entirely sure if that was what she wanted, but she didn't stop him. Michonne could see a walker meandering toward them from over Rick's shoulder. She didn't say anything about the approaching corpse, rather she sped things up by leaning the rest of the way in and bringing her lips to Ricks.

**To be continued..**


	5. Flower Petals

"How long do you think they'll be gone for?" Carl asked. Him and Sasha stood on the roof of one of the Termites' buildings keeping watch. Even though Carl never got the chance to get to know Sasha all that well, he figured helping out with the watch would be better than sitting around and having to make small talk with everyone else.

"They've only been gone a day," Sasha responded as she looked through her binoculars, "Maybe they have found someplace and are clearing it out. Wherever they are, you needn't worry Carl, your dad and Michonne are both expert fighters."

"I'm not worried," Carl brushed it off.

Sasha looked over at the boy, she could tell something had changed in him since they left the prison, certainly something had changed in her as well. At the prison they had a chance for a future, but the Governor had been sure to rip that away from them. Then with the discovery of Terminus they thought they had all found their second chance for sanctuary, which later also turned out to be a hoax. Sasha didn't like entertaining the thought but she couldn't help but think maybe there is no safe haven out there anymore.

As Carl sat there with the cowboy hat set low over his eyes Sasha realized just how young he really was. And yet all the things he had seen had aged him beyond his years. If the world hadn't gone to shit, Carl would probably be playing video games with his friends and trying out for the high school football team. Instead he was off killing walkers and seeing people decapitated before his very eyes.

"You wanna take over for a bit?" Sasha asked him. Carl turned towards Sasha and looked down at the binoculars in her hand, she gestured for him to go on.

He took the binoculars from her and brought them up to his eyes. He glanced around the parameters of Terminus. From the roof he could see where the rest of the group was set up at, they were all sitting around a small fire together. He could see the train tracks running through the place and an endless number of trees.

For a second Carl thought he saw something rustling on the ground outside the gates. He focused the binoculars and brought them back to that particular spot, watching. A few seconds later he saw it again, and then two figures came into sight.

He patted Sasha on the arm and gave her the binoculars so she could take a look, and sure enough she saw what Carl had.

"Run Carl, let Daryl know that there are two biters right outside the fence that need to be taken care of," Sasha said.

Without hesitation, Carl ran off to find Daryl.

xXxXxXxXx

Michonne deepened the kiss, she let her tongue slide against Rick's lips and when she felt the rumble of the soft moan he emitted it made her want him even more.

"Come here," Rick said huskily. Michonne questioned how she never lost her wits around this man before, she always thought him handsome but now with his lips swollen from their kiss he was drop dead gorgeous.

Michonne slid herself onto Rick's lap, straddling his legs. She could feel him pressed up against her and she pushed back with her hips. They continued kissing as the walkers outside beat against the glass windows. The risen dead didn't seem to distract them one bit and they went on this way for quite some time. Right as Michonne started fingering Rick's belt did he really pull back.

"I want you Michonne," he said, voice thick with desire, "I want you so bad, and right now too. But we can't, not now at least. You could get pregnant and I don't want to bring one more child into this hellish world. Not yet anyway."

Michonne felt taken aback by Rick's saying "not yet anyway", like there was the chance that the two of them would want to have to have children together. The thought of carrying Rick's child made her want him all the more. But Rick was right, especially with what had happened to Lori, Michonne didn't doubt that Rick would struggle seeing another pregnant belly so soon after the loss of his wife. Damn this world and Rick's unfailing self control.

"Always the voice of reason aren't you Grimes?" Michonne teased as she reluctantly slid off his lap and back into the driver's seat and started the car back up.

After a riding a while without speaking, Rick finally broke the silence, "Besides, it wouldn't be the most gentlemanly thing to do, to take you in the car like this."

Michonne thought Rick's ideas of being a gentleman were outdated, even if the dead hadn't been risen up.

"And what do you have in mind? Flower petals on the comforter, a nice fire burning in the background with romantic music playing?" Michonne asked. She never had any of those things before, and she certainly didn't expect Rick or any man to treat her to them now.

"Only the best for the best samurai I know," Rick responded.

He flashed her a smile and Michonne had to use all her might from stopping the car right then and there and pick up where they had left off. Rick's self control be damned.

Instead of acting out on her desires she kept her eyes on the road and settled her arm on the arm rest. She reminisced on instances like this from the past when everything was right with the world and she would go driving to clear her head. Usually it was after a long day at work and she had picked her son Andre up from a play date. She would drive until she felt calmer, with Andre in the back seat talking his head off. She smiled fondly at the memory and she hadn't planned on getting emotional but a tear slid onto her cheek before she could stop it. She reached up to wipe it off and when she rested her arm back down Rick grabbed her hand. He didn't say anything but sat there holding her soft hand in his. Together the two of them rode along the Georgia back road hand in hand, with the sun setting behind them completely oblivious to the walkers and rotting corpses on the sides of the road.

**To be continued, and Thanks to everyone who has read thus far, as well as all the faves/reviews/follows! **


	6. The Need for Survival

Carl ran down the four flights of stairs and out into the courtyard. There he found Daryl sharpening the knife he usually wore on his hip.

"Daryl," Carl called, almost out of breath. "Hurry, there are walkers by the fence."

Daryl perked up at the sound of this news. Even though walkers were never a welcoming topic, Daryl had been bored to death since they had overthrown the Termites. He needed a little bit of action.

"Where at?" Daryl asked as he placed his cross bow onto his back.

"Not too far from the entrance," Carl said, and before he could finish Daryl was off.

Carl followed him a little ways and then stopped, he realized that he still had the binoculars in his hand. He pulled them up to his face and focused them toward where he had seen the walkers at, and surely enough they were still ambling towards the gates. Carl was able to see them more clearly now. One was a black man wearing a winter hat, the other was a woman with short hair. Carl strained his eyes even more and then he realized these weren't just any walkers.

Carl looked over to the entrance and saw Daryl as he was raising his bow, aiming toward the two unsuspecting walkers. From his position Daryl couldn't tell who the two were, to him they just looked like bedraggled corpses.

_Shit, _Carl thought as he saw Daryl raise his bow.

xXxXxXxXxXx

_Welcome to Mount Bliss,_ the dingy wooden sign on the side of the road said.

"Funny, I don't see a mountain anywhere," Michonne said as she peered out the windows of the Jeep.

Walkers moseyed along the grass and in the road. A few were eating from the corpse of a deer in a McDonald's parking lot.

"Yeah, I don't see any bliss either," Rick commented. They passed a few dilapidated old houses that probably looked that way even before everything happened. Graffiti lined the walls and of the few buildings that were present, most looked too dangerous to even pass through the door.

"Taylorsville was overran and now this? I'm starting to think we are not going to find any place," Michonne said. She was beginning to think this whole trip was a dead end, but she wouldn't tell that to Rick. She knew how much it meant to him that they find somewhere safe to stay. She could tell it had really bothered him that they were unable to protect the prison which they originally thought was going to be an impenetrable fortress. Most of the people at the prison had thought it would be home for the long run. That they could fight this thing out until a cure was found, or they could at least start again and build a community within the confines of the prison walls.

Michonne cracked her knuckles and tried to stifle a yawn. She had been driving for several hours now and hadn't slept since they left Terminus. Rick glanced over at her and could see that she was growing tired.

"Hey, pull over. I can drive for a while," Rick said. Michonne did as Rick told her to and the two of them switched spots. Rick got behind the wheel as Michonne settled into the passenger seat with her feet up on the dashboard.

Michonne started thinking about Carl. She knew that the boy was struggling with adapting to this new world but especially after that night when Rick ripped out Joe's throat with his bare teeth, Carl had become bitter almost towards his father. Carl has had so much taken away from him, his mother, his baby sister, his chance at having a normal life. Where none of them could live "normally" anymore, at least the adults had had the chance to grow up before the infection broke out. They all had the opportunity to live in the world as it should be for a longer time. Carl is young and all he has to look forward to is a life of killing and fighting to survive.

"You shouldn't have come Rick," Michonne said after a while.

Rick glanced over at her, "Why do you say that?" he questioned. He reached over to place his hand on Michonne's leg, she tried to pull away not wanting his touch to distract her from what she was trying to say.

"Carl needs you, you have people counting on you. People who need you to survive, I have no one. I could have handled this on my own. If something were to happen to you though, Carl would be devastated," Michonne stated plainly.

"That's not true," Rick replied. Michonne watched him as he drove, she thought maybe she had made him angry.

"You're his father Rick, you're all he has left" she said.

"No, not that my son needs me. I know he does, and I'm here now because I want to protect him," Rick started, "But you saying that you have no one, and that no one counts on you, that's not true Michonne."

Michonne didn't let her eyes leave his face. Rick meant a lot to her, he did. And so did Carl and everyone else she had met at the prison. But she knew how delicate life had become these days, a constant struggle just to stay alive.

When Michonne didn't say anything back Rick grabbed her hand, "Hey, I need you. And even though you may start to wish it at times, I'm not going anywhere."

Michonne smiled at him. She appreciated just how determined Rick was. He had changed since she first met him, from the man who was seeing ghosts and who had considered giving her up to the Governor into a man she had grown to respect and trust.

Michonne leaned over the arm rest and brought her lips to Rick's cheek. Even though she used to pester him about shaving his beard, she found now that she didn't mind it all that much. In fact she found that she enjoyed the scratchy feeling against her own cheek.

"What do you say we head back. There's nothing out here except for one walker infested Podunk town after another," Rick said.

"Sounds like a plan to me Sheriff."

**That's all for now but I will be sure to update again later. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Michonne stretched, the muscles in her back were tense from how she was positioned. After she started drifting off Rick had suggested that she lay down across the back seats, that he could handle the driving. Michonne figured it would be more comfortable than having to sit up so she slid into the back and within seconds she was fast asleep.

She didn't know how long she had been sleeping for but it had felt like a relatively long time. She peered over the front seat to realize that Rick was no longer behind the wheel and the car was stopped.

"Rick?" she called out. Michonne picked her katana up and opened up the back doors, "Rick?"

She heard a movement behind her, lightning fast she pulled out her katana and was ready to strike.

"Woah, just me," Rick said.

"Shit, Rick. You trying to get yourself killed? Why are we stopped?" Michonne asked. She place the katana back in its sheath and continued stretching her back.

"I was seeing a man about a horse, so to speak." Rick noticed that Michonne kept twisting around, "Your back bothering you?"

"Yeah, turns out I was laying on top of the damn seat belt." Michonne answered.

Rick placed his gun back in its holster and walked behind Michonne, "Let me help you out." He said as he started to knead her shoulders.

Michonne felt weird having Rick touch her like this even though she knew their relationship shifted but damn did it feel good. Rick expertly massaged her back, neck, and shoulders, taking care on the muscles.

"Wow, Rick. I am impressed. Tell me, did you used to be a masseuse?" Michonne asked over her shoulder.

Rick chuckled and she relished at the gravelly sound of his laugh, "No, I guess you could say I have magic hands though."

Michonne turned around and faced him, "Oh really?" she said.

"Mhmm," Rick responded placing his hands on her hips, "They don't call me Rick magic hands Grimes for nothing"

"I am most positive that no one calls you that," Michonne said.

"Oh," Rick muttered, he brought his lips to her neck and then up to her ear before whispering, "You'll just have to find out."

Michonne lost it, she wanted desperately to adhere to Rick's reasoning about the two of them waiting but if he insisted on carrying on like this there was no chance of it.

Michonne ran her hands along Rick's hemline and quickly pulled his shirt off him. Rick responded by running his hands underneath Michonne's shirt. He tried pulling it up but Michonne stopped him, "Not yet, Grimes. I plan on taking my time with you."

Rick pushed Michonne up against the side of the Jeep, kissing her more intensely. He ran his hands along her thighs before venturing between her legs.

"Rick," Michonne muttered in response to his touch. Rick continued touching her, bringing his lips down to her collarbone.

Rick went on kissing her, until finally Michonne helped him pull her shirt off.

"Michonne," Rick said in a deep voice, "You're so beautiful."

Rick proceeded in making Michonne lose her senses. They were still standing against the side of the Jeep, pressed incredibly close to one another.

"Rick, I.." she started but couldn't finish the thought that's just how caught up in the moment she was.

"Rick, Rick" she said again but this time not with desire.

"Stop!" she cried out. Rick looked confused, everything was going great.

"Michonne what.." Rick started to say, "Oh shit!" Wrapped around Michonne's ankle was a dirty, bloody hand. It must have gotten her in a tight grip because she was unable to move. Moments later another hand appeared, and then the heads of two vicious looking walkers, the both of them out to make Rick and Michonne their lunch.

Michonne tried twisting herself free but she couldn't manage it, she had taken her katana off and laid it down when she and Rick started kissing.

Rick saw where the katana lay and picked it up, he sliced the hand of the walker off that had Michonne in its grip.

"Get in the car!" Rick yelled.

Michonne jumped in the back and Rick quickly sped off. Once back on the road, they passed one of the Termites old signs that let them know they were not too far from the gates of Terminus.

**I wasn't going to update so quickly but I got sort of bored so here it is! The next chapter will probably be added sometime soon, again thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8: Reunited

"Don't shoot!" Carl yelled, he was running frantically toward Daryl who still had the cross bow aimed and ready, "Daryl, wait!"

Daryl looked away from his targets and back to the boy, "Hell kid, what're you hollering for? Trying to attract more?" Daryl asked, obviously irritated. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to take his shot and maybe now with Carl's yelling he might have lost it.

"No, but take a look," Carl approached Daryl and handed him the binoculars. Daryl gave him a skeptical look but went on anyway to take a peek through the binoculars.

"No shit," Daryl said softly. He returned the binoculars back to Carl and went out the front gates of Terminus with Carl following behind.

Carl and Daryl met up with the two "walkers." Carl thought maybe Daryl was going to cry from the look on his face.

"Daryl," Carol said, Tyreese at her side. Carl could hardly believed that the two of them were here now, and if he hadn't gotten to Daryl in time they would have been shot dead.

Carol closed the distance between her and Daryl and wrapped her arms around him. The two of them stood there embracing, gathering strength from one another. Daryl never thought he would see Carol again. The two of them had grown close after the loss of Sophia and when Rick had sent Carol on her way, Daryl had difficulty coping with it. He couldn't believe that the kind-hearted Carol could do something so harsh as kill two innocent people. Daryl knew now that none of them had clean consciences anymore, they had all done things they were ashamed of but had to be done in order to guarantee their chance of survival.

"Hey, there man," Tyreese said to Carl, clapping the boy on the shoulders, "I've got somebody with me that you might want to see." Tyreese gave Carl a big smile before turning around. On Tyreese's back was Judith, a blue hat on her head as she sat comfortably in a baby backpack.

"Judith," Carl muttered, his voice cracking. Carl wanted to appear manly and hold himself together but he couldn't at the sight of his baby sister alive and well. Judith gave him hope, hope that even though things appeared desperate and shitty, there could be new beginnings. And when him and his father had found Judith's baby carrier bloody, Carl had thought for sure that his sister was dead. He had struggled with the loss of her but here she was now, giggling on Tyreese's back.

"Go on, hold her. She probably is tired of me and wants her big brother back," Tyreese encouraged.

Carl picked Judith up from underneath her arms. She still wore the yellow onesie that she had been wearing when the prison was lost. Judith smiled at the sight of Carl and it warmed his heart that she had remembered him. She giggled and kicked her legs as Carl bounced her up and down.

"That little girl is a fighter, Carl," Carol said. She joined Carl and Judith and placed her arm around his shoulders, "She's a lot like you in that way."

xxxxxxxxx

"Watch your step," Rick pointed to Michonne showing her where she was about to run into a fallen tree limb. The two of them were walking back through the woods and about to come into the clearing so they could arrive at the front gate lest someone mistake the two of them for walkers and decide to shoot. They had left the Jeep parked on the road, the keys still in the ignition. It could be used as a get away car in case Terminus became overran.

"You know, we drove in a ten mile circumference of this place and we still haven't made a decision about what to do next," Michonne said.

Rick didn't know where the group should go from here. And he wasn't sure if after all the group had been through, and all they had lost under his watch, if he still had the authority to call himself "leader."

"I think it would be for the best if we let everyone decide themselves. If they want to stay, fine. Or if they wish to go with Abraham's group. I can't keep everyone safe Michonne," Rick said sadly.

"No, but you damn sure have tried," Michonne pointed out.

Rick gave a small smile. Michonne strengthened him, she was like a beacon at the end of a dark, frightening tunnel. The two of them had been through hell and back, had both had those they cared about the most ripped away from them violently. And with the discovery and the growing relationship between them, there was hope that things could be restored.

Rick thought he was getting better. Besides the nightmare he had in the Jeep the other day, Lori no longer tormented him. Rick wanted her there of course, but not as a looming presence, not as something that reminded him that he let his wife down, something that brought him grief and overwhelming guilt. Instead he wanted Lori to be like a guardian angel, he wanted her to appear in moments of beauty where he could sit and appreciate and reflect on the way things once were with happiness. He was sure the guilt he had felt had gone away until he heard the crying. It was a baby, it sounded just like Judith whenever she woke everyone up in the cellblock with her crying for a bottle during the ungodly hours of the morning.

Rick stopped in his tracks. He went cold, he had dealt with Lori's ghost and her reappearing before his eyes but he could never cope with the sound of his dead baby girl's crying. Lori had died during childbirth, something he couldn't have directly prevented. But Judith died because he couldn't keep the prison safe.

"Hey," Michonne whispered. Rick could feel her touch on his lower back. Her hand moving in a circular motion. Rick tried to focus on her touch, he tried to get the crying out his head.

"Is it the crying?" Michonne asked, "I hear it too."

Rick turned to her, _she heard the crying. _Rick thought, _then I can't be crazy. _

Rick jogged the rest of the way to the gate, he had to find out the source of the crying that sounded so much like Judith's.

"Eugene," Rick called to the mulleted man who was standing not too far from the front gate.

Eugene sauntered over, taking his sweet time. _Must not be anything too serious, _Rick reassured himself,_ if Eugene is walking over here like its his Sunday stroll._

"The crying? Who is it?" Rick asked, breathless. He was afraid that someone had been hurt while him and Michonne were away. If so, he would feel personally responsible for destruction on yet another life.

"A baby, she's been crying since she arrived with some man and a woman with short hair. I never much cared for children," Eugene said.

"A baby," Rick repeated. He looked back at Michonne who nodded at him to go on. Rick ran off, leaving Michonne standing alone with the proclaimed scientist.

Eugene ran his eyes over Michonne's body, resting his eyes on the katana at her back. "I've seen what you can do with that sword. It's quite impressive, you must be very skilled."

Michonne could tell that Eugene was doing a very bad attempt at flirting with her. "Not gonna happen, Mr. Scientist." she said, before leaving to follow the direction Rick had went in.

xxxxxxxxxx

"Eugene said a baby was here," Rick said as he came across some of the group. Bob and Glenn were at one of the picnic tables playing a game of cards. Abraham was busy cleaning his gun with a sour look on his face while Daryl was working on sewing up a hole in his recently retrieved poncho.

"Hey, you're back," Glenn got up from his game and approached Rick, "Let me go get Carl."

Daryl nodded to Rick, "How'd everything go?" he asked.

"Fine," Rick started before being cut off. There was the crying again. Rick looked back over his shoulder and saw Carl coming towards him a baby in his arms.

"Carl," Rick's voice rasped. In his son's arms was Judith, his baby, one of the last thing he had left that brought him good feelings.

Rick wrapped his son and daughter both in his arms. He collapsed to his knees, his eyes welling with tears.

"Dad, she's alive," Carl said. Rick nodded his head against his sons shoulder. He leaned back and looked at Judith, he reminded him so much of Lori. Even in the midst of the apocalypse, Rick had managed to regain his daughter. And maybe with Judith being with them again, he would be given the chance to regain his son. Rick could already tell that Carl seemed different, not as cold.

Michonne came around the corner and caught sight of Rick hugging both of his children. She was reminded of how she used to hug her son. And even though she had had so much taken away from her, her child, boyfriend, her sanity for a while there, it brought her peace to see joy on Rick's face.

She started to back away, wanting to give the family privacy as they relished in their reunion but before she could leave Rick called her over.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rick asked.

Carl gave Michonne a genuine smile and extended Judith to her. Michonne remembered the first and only time really she had held Judith. She didn't want to do it then, she didn't want to be reminded of the horrible feeling she had after she had lost her son. Michonne accepted and cradled the child in her arms. Judith began playing with Michonne's dreads and pulled a little too hard for Michonne's likings. Rick laughed at the expression she had on her face.

"Look at us," Carl said, "We're a family."

Rick was scared how Michonne would react to Carl's comments and a wave of relief washed over him when Michonne smiled warmly at Carl. Michonne already had a great relationship with Carl and he only hoped the same would form between her and Judith. Rick felt pure joy as he watched Michonne hold Judith in her arms. His feelings for Michonne had altered over the past few days and he could only imagine that they would continue to do so.

Rick brought his arm around Michonne and pulled Carl in on the left. The four of them stood in the middle of the Terminus courtyard holding on tight to one another.

As they stood embracing, Rick finally responded to Carl's comment, "We sure are son."

**THE END**

**This was the last chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it! And thank you once again to everyone who has read/reviewed etc. :)**


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